Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Kimono Dream

I've always wanted to have a kimono. Actually, my dream is to make my own. (Let's forget for the moment that my experience of sewing is limited to sewing paper bunting.) Don't you just love these vintage postcards? (all from paper-pal's flickr stream)


6 comments:

kendalee said...
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kendalee said...

Absolutely beautiful!!! I remember reading a Japanese (in English but set in Japan that is, rather than in Japanese!) love story once - will try to recall its name for you - that in parts described how the designs and colours and contrasting under-kimono kimonos all have meaning. Fascinating! I wonder if these young women and girls in the pictures were the daughters of noblemen or destined to be geisha?

I also took some pictures at the quilt exhibition that I attended recently that I will post especially for you anairam... I hope they will inspire you to give making a kimono a go!

Unknown said...

I was obsessed about geisha an Japanese culture when I was a kid.

Anairam said...

kendalee - Oh, pleaes let me know when you find out! I've recently bought a book called Kimono - Fashioning Culture, by Lisa Dalby, with lovely line drawings of kimonos. Haven't started reading it though!
karina - It is such a fascinating culture, I agree! Did you see the movie Memoirs of a Geisha? It is a visually beautiful film, and worth seeing (although I am not sure how authentic it is).

evencleveland said...

So, so lovely. I love the hand tinted color.

I have an old kimono from the 1950s that I like to wear around the house.

Anairam said...

stephanie - Oh, that sounds lovely - why don't you post a picture of it? Talking about 1950s kimonos, do you know Yasujiro Ozu's films? I absolutely loved Tokyo Story, and also his Early Summer and Late Spring. Sadly his other films are not available here, or if they are, I haven't been able to trace them. They were all made during the 1950s or thereabouts.